What happens when an irresistible force meets an immovable object?   Remington Rohan was not a rule follower. Former model (though not one of the super kind), successful influencer and life coach. Currently paid to tell people how to achieve the best from their lives and careers.  In other words, a complete contradiction to how he preferred to live—namely, on his own terms and without input from others. Everything about his life was going according to plan. Until he started spending way too much time with a woman who defied his prejudices and challenged his beliefs.   Lydia Larkin was not a genius. Gifted, clever, and stubborn. Raised on star maps and Hendrix, she was born an explorer. Temporarily tied down to a private sector science job, she knew she was biding her time before she was off to discover and build something new. Not one to let society tell her who she was, she wasn’t about to let a professional influencer tell her she had to change to be happy.   Buckle up and brace for impact.

“You just let yourself in now?” Lydia accused with narrowed eyes and a full mouth. Remington grinned, sliding easily into their special vibe that only existed when they were alone together. Uncomplicated, silly, innocent. “What are you eating?” he asked, closing the door behind him. “Cereal,” she slurped, lifting her chin to catch a dribble of milk off her chin. “Fancy.” “I live the high life. What are you doing here?” “You don’t have a telescope. Someone who looks at the sky as often as you, should have a telescope.” He produced the used item from behind his back and presented it to her. “You bought me a telescope?” she asked. “I bought us a telescope,” he clarified. “At a flea market. So, who knows if it even works all that well,” he added with a shrug. “Hm.” She perked up, her eyebrows lifting into her hairline. “If it’s broken, I can fix it.” “Why doesn’t that surprise me?” He set it aside and came fully into the apartment. He stopped a foot away and eyed her appearance more critically. “What’s wrong with you?” “Rude.” Lydia glared at him before turning her back and taking her cereal bowl to her bed. “No, I mean…something’s different…?” Remington noticed the slight limp in her gait and the slow way she lowered herself onto the mattress. “Are you hurt?” Lydia puffed up her cheeks and blew the air out. “Only literally.” His pulse jumped and he glanced around the apartment. As if expecting to have to fight someone or something. “What happened?” “I am going to be just fine,” she reassured him. “It’s nothing some Advil and a full body massage won’t fix. Do you feel like this all the time?” she asked, shifting with a grimace as she tried to prop her pillow behind her back. “What do you mean?” he asked, crossing to her and assisting with the pillow. “You work out every day, right?” Remington felt a smile slowly spread across his face. “You went to the gym?” She snorted and rolled her eyes. “Yeah. I thought I was in pretty good shape too, but muscles I didn’t even know I had are using horribly foul language on me.” “I’m hurt, Larkin. If you were going to sign up with a trainer, why didn’t you ask me first?” The unamused expression she shot him made him laugh out loud. “I didn’t hire a trainer. My friend Brenda talked me into self-defense classes in the form of Krav Maga.” She slowly stretched her legs out in front of her and winced. “That’s awesome!” he declared. “I do Jui Jitsu!” “Good for you.” She did not sound congratulatory. “If you keep up with it, you won’t have soreness like this,” he told her, shuffling her over so he could join her on the bed. “Finish your cereal, you big kid, and I’ll give you an athletic massage.” She took a bite of her cereal and eyed him with obvious suspicion. “I don’t know if that’s a good idea.” “Why? Because I’ll be touching your body and you’re so uncontrollably attracted to me?” he teased. “Keep it in your pants, Larkin.” “I changed my mind,” she said, swallowing her mouthful. He tilted his head in question. “I thought I was done hating you, but no.” Remington barked a laugh that had him tipping his head back to rest on the wall behind him. “One of these days I’m gonna be a Krav Maga expert and I’m going to kick your ass. Who’ll be laughing then?” He rolled his head to the side to grin at her. “Honestly, that sounds amazing. We can spar each other.” Lydia caught his gaze and she grew quiet. “We already spar.” “I know.” His smile softened. “I love it.”    

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